How Social Media Managers Can Optimize Workflows Using Kanban in Google Workspace

Meet Theo: A Social Media Manager at Vibrant Brands

Meet Theo, a social media manager at Vibrant Brands. He's responsible for the company's online presence across multiple platforms. Like many social media managers, Theo relies heavily on Google Workspace. He uses Gmail for communication, Drive for storing assets, and Calendar for scheduling posts. Initially, he tried managing his workflow with a combination of spreadsheets and sticky notes. This quickly became overwhelming as Vibrant Brands expanded its social media presence:

Scattered Information: Campaign details, content ideas, and hashtags lived in various documents and notes, making it difficult to find what he needed quickly.
Missed Deadlines: With so many moving parts, it was easy to miss important posting deadlines.
Collaboration Challenges: Sharing spreadsheets and getting feedback from team members was a cumbersome process.

The result? Inconsistent posting, missed opportunities, and a fragmented social media strategy.

Theo needed a solution that could centralize his workflow, improve collaboration, and help him stay on top of his busy schedule. That's when he discovered Kanban Tasks, a Chrome extension that integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace and transforms Google Tasks into a visual Kanban board.

Why a Kanban Approach for Social Media Management?

Kanban’s visual nature is perfectly suited to the fast-paced world of social media. For social media managers in Google Workspace:

Visual Content Pipeline: See the status of every piece of content, from "Idea" to "Published," at a glance. No more sifting through endless spreadsheet rows.
Streamlined Collaboration: Team members can easily collaborate on content creation, review drafts, and provide feedback directly on the Kanban board.
Improved Time Management: Clear deadlines and task assignments help prioritize tasks and ensure timely posting.

Step 1: Centralize Content Planning (Beyond Spreadsheets)

Theo starts by ditching the spreadsheets and sticky notes.

Kanban Tasks Becomes the Hub: All content ideas, drafts, and scheduled posts are now managed within Kanban Tasks. Drive remains the central repository for media assets, but the Kanban board becomes the command center.
Organized Content Calendar: He uses a dedicated board for his content calendar, with columns for each day of the week. This provides a clear overview of upcoming posts.

Pro Tip: Use color-coded labels in Kanban Tasks to categorize content by theme, platform, or campaign.

Step 2: Manage Campaigns Efficiently (Without the Chaos)

Before Kanban Tasks, managing multiple campaigns across different platforms was a juggling act.

How Kanban Tasks Helps

Dedicated Campaign Boards: Theo creates a separate Kanban board for each campaign. This keeps everything organized and focused.
Visual Workflow: He uses columns like "Planning," "Content Creation," "Approval," "Scheduling," and "Published" to visualize the progress of each campaign task.
Task Assignments & Due Dates: He assigns tasks to team members (graphic designers, copywriters, etc.) and sets clear due dates, ensuring everyone is on the same page.

Result: No more scrambling to find campaign details or missing important deadlines. Everything is clearly laid out on the Kanban board.

Step 3: Set Up Your Social Media Kanban Board

Installing Kanban Tasks (https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/kanban-boards-and-tasks-s/kihkmgnkhalkbaekhpidcepfllnbicji?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tswebsiteevents&utm_id=toolingstudio) is quick and easy. Within minutes, Theo has a functional board:

Customize Columns: He creates columns that reflect his social media workflow, such as "Ideas," "Drafting," "Design," "Review," "Scheduled," and "Published."
Add Tasks: He populates the board with upcoming content ideas and tasks.
Collaborate with the Team: He invites team members to the board, enabling real-time collaboration and feedback.

This visual layout becomes the central hub for all social media activities. Instead of searching through emails and documents, Theo simply checks the board to see what’s pending, what’s in progress, and what’s been completed.

Step 4: Seamless Integration with Google Workspace

Theo continues to leverage the power of Google Workspace, now enhanced by Kanban Tasks:

Google Drive: He attaches images, videos, and other media assets directly to task cards, keeping everything organized and accessible.
Google Calendar: He links important social media events (like Twitter chats or Instagram live sessions) to tasks on the board.
Gmail: He turns emails into tasks by dragging them directly onto the Kanban board, ensuring important requests and feedback aren't missed.

No More App Switching: Everything is interconnected. No need to jump between different tools or search through cluttered inboxes.

Step 5: Track Performance and Optimize Campaigns

Analyzing social media performance is crucial. Here’s how Theo uses Kanban Tasks and Google Workspace to stay on top of his metrics:

Attach Reports: He attaches weekly performance reports (generated from Google Analytics or other social media analytics tools) to his campaign boards. This provides a centralized location for tracking progress and identifying trends.
Data-Driven Decisions: He uses the insights from these reports to refine his content strategy, adjust campaign tactics, and optimize future posts.
Visualize Progress: The Kanban board provides a visual overview of campaign performance, making it easy to spot bottlenecks and areas for improvement.

Result: Data-driven decision-making becomes effortless, leading to more effective social media campaigns.

Step 6: The “Get Work Done” Board for Daily Priorities

The “Get Work Done” board in Kanban Tasks becomes Theo’s daily go-to for staying on schedule:

Focus on Today’s Tasks: He starts each day by reviewing the “Due Today” list, ensuring he doesn’t miss any critical deadlines.
Prioritize Effectively: The visual layout helps him quickly prioritize tasks and allocate his time efficiently.
Real-Time Updates: Any changes to due dates are reflected instantly, keeping him informed and on track.

Pro Tip: Encourage team members to use the “Get Work Done” board to manage their individual social media tasks as well.

Step 7: Leverage Advanced Features for Enhanced Productivity

Attachments and Tags

Attachments: Theo attaches images, videos, blog post links, and other relevant files to each task card, making it easy for his team to access the necessary materials.
Tags: He uses tags to categorize tasks by platform (e.g., #Instagram, #Twitter), campaign (#SummerSale), or content type (#Video, #BlogPost).

Checklists

For complex tasks like creating a social media campaign, he uses checklists to break down the process into smaller, manageable steps.

Share Boards

He shares boards with clients or stakeholders, providing them with real-time visibility into the progress of their social media campaigns.

Step 8: Continuous Improvement

Kanban Tasks allows Theo to constantly refine his workflow:

Identify Bottlenecks: He analyzes the flow of tasks across the board to identify any bottlenecks or delays in the content creation process.
Optimize Workflow: He adjusts his workflow based on these insights, adding or removing columns as needed.
Experiment and Adapt: He tries different approaches to content scheduling and campaign management, using the Kanban board to track the results and identify what works best.

Outcome: A continuously evolving and improving social media strategy.

Wrapping Up

Social media managers like Theo thrive when they have a clear, organized system for managing their complex workflows. Google Workspace provides the foundation for collaboration, and Kanban Tasks enhances it by bringing all the pieces together in a visual, intuitive way. It’s simple to use and transforms how social media teams work, allowing them to focus on creating engaging content and building strong online communities.

Ready to transform your social media management?

Install Kanban Tasks from the Chrome Web Store.
Set up your first board, invite your team, and start managing your social media activities visually.
Say goodbye to scattered spreadsheets and hello to a streamlined, efficient workflow.

FAQ

1. What kind of support do you offer?

We offer comprehensive support via email, live chat, and a knowledge base to help you get the most out of Kanban Tasks.

2. What is Tooling Studio? Is Kanban Tasks the only product?

Tooling Studio creates Chrome extensions designed to enhance Google Workspace productivity. Kanban Tasks is our flagship product, and we’re continuously developing new tools to improve your workflow.

3. Why do I need Kanban Tasks if I already use other social media management tools?

Kanban Tasks complements your existing tools by providing a visual layer of organization and collaboration within your Google Workspace environment. It's not meant to replace your scheduling tools, but rather to enhance your overall workflow.

4. How do I install Kanban Tasks?

Simply add it from the Chrome Web Store. Once installed, it integrates seamlessly with your Google Tasks, enabling you to create Kanban boards and manage your tasks visually.

5. Upcoming Features?

We're always working on new features! Check our website and social media channels for the latest updates.

6. How secure is my data with Tooling Studio?

We take data security seriously. We use industry-standard encryption and authentication protocols to protect your information.

7. Can I collaborate with clients or external stakeholders?

Yes. You can share boards with anyone who has a Google account, making it easy to collaborate with clients, freelancers, or other external partners.

8. Will I get notifications?

Yes, you can customize email notifications for new assignments, comments, and due date reminders.

9. Which browsers are supported?

Kanban Tasks is officially supported on Google Chrome.

10. How does Kanban Tasks improve my social media workflow?

By providing a centralized, visual system for managing all your social media activities, Kanban Tasks eliminates the need for scattered spreadsheets, improves communication, and helps you stay on top of your busy schedule.